Coverage

The interview recounts how Hans Jakob Helms helped secure Indigenous Peoples' participation in the 1980s Arctic Council, leading to the creation of an Indigenous Secretariat and fostering post-Cold War Arctic cooperation.

The Arctic Economic Council and St. Petersburg Committee for Arctic Affairs signed an MOU to exchange expertise on maritime transport, energy, connectivity, investment and infrastructure, boosting Arctic economic collaboration.

Russia assumes chair of Arctic Economic Council today, prioritizing shipping safety, sustainable investment, and stronger ties with the Arctic Council.

Russia's biggest Arctic oil terminal is expected to open soon, signaling a major expansion of Arctic energy infrastructure.

At the 12th Arctic Council Ministerial meeting, EGBCM announced that Arctic States are on track to cut black carbon emissions by 25‑33 % by 2025, though methane emissions still rise.

Russia has declared that eliminating nuclear waste dumped in the Arctic will be a top priority of its Arctic Council leadership, signalling a push for broader regional cooperation on hazardous waste cleanup.

Arctic Council ministers in Reykjavik signed the Reykjavik Declaration, adopted a first Strategic Plan for the next decade, and transferred the Chairmanship from Iceland to Russia, marking a milestone in Arctic governance.

In May 2021, Russia resumed chairmanship of the Arctic Council, focusing on sustainable development, Indigenous welfare, and climate‑change mitigation to strengthen Arctic cooperation.

Arctic Indigenous peoples—Inuit, Sámi, and Russian—organized circumpolar meetings and negotiated Permanent Participant status in the Arctic Council, securing formal representation alongside Arctic States.

In 1996, the eight Arctic states founded the Arctic Council in Ottawa, signing the Ottawa Declaration with limited media presence and incorporating indigenous peoples as permanent participants, shaping Arctic governance.

Arctic Indigenous youth launched a Youth Leaders’ Summit and Permanent Participants’ Youth Network to push for greater participation and leadership in Arctic Council discussions, leveraging existing youth programs and high‑level forums to promote cultural preservation and

The Inuit Circumpolar Council’s Project CREATeS and L2G initiatives use digital storytelling to empower Arctic youth, promote suicide prevention, and link policy actions across Arctic states.

EALLU, an Arctic Council SDWG initiative, mobilizes Indigenous youth to document and revitalize traditional food knowledge, strengthening food security, sovereignty, and economic resilience amid climate change.

Arctic Indigenous communities, backed by the Arctic Council and international partners, are implementing revitalization projects—including digital tools and exhibitions—to protect languages that hold vital traditional knowledge and cultural identity.

The Arctic Council and IASC launched SAON in 2011 to create a pan‑Arctic observing system, promoting open data, Indigenous participation, and guiding long‑term monitoring through the AOS.

The article outlines how Arctic communities are largely diesel‑dependent, highlights pilot renewable projects such as Polmos Tundra’s hybrid wind‑diesel system, and stresses that policy support and funding from Arctic states and the EU are essential to enable a viable

Arctic shipping traffic rose 25% between 2013 and 2019, raising environmental concerns and prompting Arctic Council coordination to safeguard marine ecosystems and coastal communities.

Arctic marine tourism grew 35% from 2013–2019, prompting PAME and partners to monitor vessel use, assess fuel risks, and develop site‑specific guidelines to safeguard the region’s fragile environment.

The Arctic Council’s EPPR and the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators launched the NEPTUNE project to evaluate whether expedition cruise ships could serve as first responders during Arctic oil spills, conducting table‑top exercises that highlighted the potential

The Arctic Council’s Radiation Expert Group, formed in 2019, leads cross‑state and indigenous collaboration to assess radiological risks, conduct drills, and plan emergency response for nuclear‑related incidents in the Arctic.

The State of the Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity report shows climate‑driven changes—phenological mismatches, southern species encroachment, and food‑security threats—that require coordinated monitoring and policy action.

Mercury emitted globally travels to the Arctic, accumulates in ecosystems and Indigenous diets, prompting science‑driven policy efforts and action projects to reduce emissions and protect Arctic health.

The Saami Council’s Kola Waste Project in Russia’s Murmansk region has removed 96 t of waste through community‑led clean‑ups supported by the Arctic Council, improving local ecosystems and protecting traditional livelihoods.

The Arctic Council’s Gender Equality in the Arctic project reports on gender gaps and recommends better data collection and mainstreaming to support sustainable Arctic policy.

The article celebrates the Arctic Council’s 25th anniversary, noting its success and the unique cooperative regime it has established under the Ottawa Declaration.